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Every Amazon seller knows how frustrating it is to see shoppers add products to their cart, only to leave without completing the purchase. Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges in ecommerce, and Amazon is no exception.
But here’s the good news. Having abandoned carts doesn’t mean you have to lose sales. With the right strategies, you can reduce abandonment rates, re-engage shoppers, and turn those indecisive shoppers into paying customers.
This ePlaybooks guide explores the reasons why Amazon customers abandon their carts and how you can reduce abandoned carts to win back sales.
Cart abandonment happens when a shopper adds an item to their cart but leaves the site before completing the purchase. It’s a common behavior among online buyers for many reasons, including hesitation, distractions, or unexpected costs at checkout. For Amazon sellers, however, these abandoned carts can be more than just a missed opportunity. Abandoned carts can directly impact revenue and business growth. Each time a customer exits without making a purchase, it represents lost potential profit, lower conversion rates, and wasted advertising spend.
The cart abandonment rate shows the percentage of buyers who abandon your cart. To find out your cart abandonment rate, divide the total completed transactions by the total carts added, subtract the result from one, and multiply by 100%. For example, if you have 400 carts added and 120 completed transactions, the cart abandonment rate is 70%. To check your cart abandonment rate on Amazon, go to Brand Analytics > Search Query Performance > Brand View, and choose a time frame to analyze. Now you can see how many Cart Adds your Brand has and how many Purchases your brand has.
There isn't a specific figure for a good cart abandonment rate, as it can vary by industry and product type. However, the average cart abandonment rate can range from 60% to 80%. The lower the cart abandonment rate, the better.
Understanding why shoppers abandon their carts is the first step toward reducing it and reclaiming those lost sales. Here are some common reasons why shoppers abandon their carts on Amazon:
One of the biggest reasons customers abandon their carts is because of surprise costs. When shoppers reach the checkout page and discover additional charges such as shipping fees, taxes, or import duties, they often rethink their purchase decision.
Amazon is known for transparency, but products that aren’t Prime-eligible or that include third-party shipping fees can still catch customers off guard. These unexpected expenses make buyers hesitate or abandon their cart in search of a better deal.
Before committing to a purchase, shoppers often compare multiple listings for similar products to find the best value. If your product isn’t competitively priced or doesn’t communicate enough value through its features, images, or reviews, customers may add it to their cart as a “bookmark” while continuing their search and never return to complete the sale.
When shoppers can’t confidently decide whether your product meets their needs, they’re likely to abandon their cart. Missing details, unclear product descriptions, or low-quality images can create doubt. Since customers can’t physically touch or test the item, they rely entirely on the listing content to make their decision.
Shoppers want their orders delivered fast. When buyers see long shipping times or non-Prime options, they often abandon the cart and look for another seller offering quicker delivery. Slow or uncertain delivery windows can signal inconvenience or risk, which can discourage impulse buyers and repeat customers alike.
Sometimes, cart abandonment isn’t about the product or price. It could be about attention. Online shoppers can get easily distracted by notifications, competing offers, or even just the busyness of everyday life. A customer may intend to return to complete their purchase but forget or move on to something else.
Occasionally, cart abandonment happens for purely technical reasons. Payment errors, expired cards, or glitches during checkout can interrupt the process. Also, if a buyer experiences issues with product variations, such as selecting the wrong size or color, they might abandon the cart rather than fix the problem.
One of the most common reasons customers may abandon their cart is when a product listing is unclear. Your product listing is your virtual storefront, and shoppers will make decisions based on what they see, so you want to make it count.
Use high-quality images: Include multiple angles, lifestyle shots, and close-ups that give shoppers a clear picture of what using your product is like. Write clear, keyword-rich titles and bullet points that help customers quickly understand what your product offers. Provide detailed product descriptions, including cover dimensions, materials, benefits, and use cases. Highlight positive reviews, ratings, and testimonials to build trust.
You can use Amazon A+ Content to create engaging visuals and in-depth product education that helps buyers make confident decisions.
Amazon shoppers are very sensitive to price. Shoppers may abandon carts when they feel misled by hidden costs or find cheaper alternatives. You want to regularly monitor competitors’ prices using Amazon’s “Manage Pricing” or third-party repricing tools to ensure your prices stay competitive. You can offer discounts or coupons to keep your offer appealing. If your profit margins allow, you can bundle related items at a small discount. Bundles add perceived value and encourage larger purchases.
Also, clearly display shipping options. Amazon Prime gives you an added advantage and has a higher conversion rate because of free and fast shipping.
Shipping delays are another major reason for cart abandonment. Slow delivery times can discourage customers from making a purchase.
Enroll your products in Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon). This ensures fast delivery, reliable tracking, and higher visibility in search results. This also qualifies your product for free shipping through Amazon Prime.
Prime-eligible products not only enjoy better conversion rates but also build trust and customer loyalty.
Over 80% of Amazon sales go through it. That means if your product isn’t featured there, customers may hesitate, get confused by multiple seller options, or leave the page. The Buy Box eliminates that confusion by presenting a single, trusted purchase option. When your offer appears as the default choice, buyers don’t need to scroll through multiple listings or compare prices. Also, winning the Buy Box gives customers access to Amazon’s “Buy Now” button, which bypasses the cart entirely and leads directly to checkout. This one-click experience dramatically reduces the chances of distraction or hesitation that often cause cart abandonment.
Amazon has a straightforward checkout process. However, you can further simplify the checkout process by keeping product variations (size, color, etc.) clearly labeled, maintaining accurate stock levels to avoid “out of stock” errors, and avoiding frequent listing updates that might confuse returning buyers. The easier it is for shoppers to buy, the less likely they are to abandon the cart.
You can win back lost shoppers through retargeting ads. Amazon’s Sponsored Display Ads allow you to target customers who viewed or added your product to their cart but didn’t purchase. These ads remind shoppers of what they left behind, encouraging them to complete sales once they’re ready to buy.
Off Amazon, you can leverage email campaigns (via Amazon Brand Analytics or your customer list from other channels) to send reminders, discount offers, or product recommendations.
You can also leverage social media remarketing to target past Amazon visitors on platforms like Facebook or Instagram.
Creating a sense of urgency can turn browsers into buyers. Limited-time offers can push hesitant shoppers to act fast. You can run Lightning Deals or 7-Day Deals during key shopping periods. You can also highlight “Only X left in stock” to add urgency. Throw in some coupons or Buy One, Get One (BOGO) offers to make your deal irresistible.
Finally, track your performance and make adjustments. Use Amazon Brand Analytics, Business Reports, and Advertising Reports to monitor metrics like your conversion rates, click-through rates (CTR), shopping behavior by session, etc. Monitoring performance and identifying trends will help you understand where customers drop off and which improvements deliver results.
On average, nearly 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts before completing a purchase, meaning a significant portion of potential revenue slips away. But this doesn’t have to be the case. By closely tracking your cart abandonment rate and applying the strategies mentioned, you can reduce lost sales and reclaim valuable customers.
At ePlaybooks, we help Amazon sellers not only attract buyers but convert them. With optimized listings, smart retargeting, and competitive pricing, you can turn abandoned carts into repeat customers.
To decrease your cart abandonment rate, focus on improving your product listings, pricing, and checkout experience. Use high-quality images, clear descriptions, and transparent shipping information to build trust. Offering Prime-eligible or fast shipping options, competitive pricing, and limited-time discounts can also encourage shoppers to complete their purchase. Additionally, retarget customers with Sponsored Display Ads to remind them of the products they viewed but didn’t buy.
Fixing cart abandonment starts with understanding why it’s happening. Review your Amazon Business Reports and Brand Analytics to identify drop-off points, whether it’s pricing, delivery time, or product clarity. Then, address those areas. Simplify your product variations and checkout process, use A+ Content to answer common questions and reduce uncertainty, and offer clear, consistent communication around shipping and returns.
The more seamless and transparent the shopping experience is for shoppers, the fewer abandoned carts you’ll face.
To prevent abandoned carts, create confidence and clarity. Make sure your listings highlight trust signals such as positive reviews, accurate descriptions, and high-quality images. Use urgency drivers like low-stock alerts, limited-time offers, or exclusive deals to motivate action. Finally, winning the Buy Box helps simplify the buying decision and minimizes hesitation, significantly lowering the chance of cart abandonment.
You’ve probably already considered selling on Amazon but its way easier than you think.
Call Us Now